Escapist ride out of the city

My all rides were getting cancelled due to workload and the some reason or the other. So after the Year ending ride of RoadShakers (http://www.royalenfield.com/app/IN/trip.asp?sID=15597) and immediate next day to Diveagar to celebrate New years were the last time I had been out on my babe. Whole January went dry and I could not manage to get out, so me and my babe were itching to set off.

One day we (Capt and me) were talking about Thoseghar and he ditched to go that place earlier than me on the weekday itself. He being free man can do it, so I was thinking like visiting that place again. Moreover, I was not able to eat mutton masala last time while we passed through Satara for Amboli (http://www.royalenfield.com/app/IN/trip.asp?sID=13653) due to Shravan, so that I can bite into that delicacy.

Hemanth, Aravindhan and Tejinder had shown interest, too. So the corum was complete, 4 bikes were more than sufficient for small ride like this. Finally Aravindhan and Tejinder also could not make it due to some task or the other and it boiled down to only 2 bikes and 3 riders, me (Bullet500), Hemanth (Electra 2004) and his wife.

We met at Chandni chauk around 8am against the decided time of 7am, but der aaye durust aaye. We discussed the route, he needed to top-up the oil so he did and we set off… the road was fantastic and being Sunday morning, with very less traffic on the road and pleasant weather. As its raining in north India and even some parts of Maharashtra, I was expecting some showers in the moutains where we were headed. So I was prepared with everything in the bag wrapped in polythene and raincoat tucked in the bag, just in case J.

The new road to by-pass Katraj is like a dream, and we were ripping continuously on 3 digit speeds. The tunnel on this route is so fantastic that I did over 115 in the tunnel and had some nice RoadShakers’ (patented) phatakas in it to clear the way J.

None of us smoke so we didn’t require any breaks J and so we were ripping our way very fast continuously in 3 digits speed towards Satara. Oddo was running frantically and mile-stones after mile-stones passed by, then it happened. The miraculous failure of ignition coil to provided us the break…

We were around 15-16kms away from Satara, and around half km away from Toll booth, my babe went dead. She just lost the spark it seemed. Just couldn’t figure it out, why? How? What? Then I saw it, some open coil, just below my seat…along with it was hanging Aluminium can with some oil in it… I realized that the Ignition coil has physically broken in two pieces… upper head jammed in the metal loop and lower can containing coils and oil hanging… Called Alex and he also told me that this something he is hearing first time. But he told me to go to Satara, buy new one and replace it, it should work.

So we got an idea, we thought we shall give some support and see if it work, I found empty frooty pack… after folding it, put it up as support and wallah she started as there was some oil left in the cannister…
So Satara was 15-16 kms away… ridden her till Satara again at 80-85kmph… and found mechanic and got it replaced and done… Alex (Pune mechanic, who maintains my babe) as well as Panda mistry (Satara mechanic), were surprised to hear and see this kind of failure. But its valuable lesson learnt.

Thinking like sending THANK YOU letter to Frooty and one THANKING notice to all who litter on highway… Best part is that jugaad worked really well and lot better than expected,got that broken coil back sothat everyone interested can take a look at that.

After reaching in the city, we had hearty breakfast at Rajatadri Restaurant in the main square of the city and then headed for Windmill farm and waterfalls. The patch leading us out of the town is in real bad shape, but as its under construction, there is a hope J. Once out of town, the winding ghat sections is fantastic and we rode for around 30kms to reach the Thoseghar waterfalls. On the way, we visited Windmill farm. It was awesome site, hidden from the sight till you reach the mountaintop. Once you reach there, suddenly you reach the flat table-land with hundreds of windmills standing on it. Some even at next table land almost a Kilometer away. There are over 2000 windmills in that windpower farm. It was irratic behaviour of windmill that scared us sometimes, as it used to start with whooshing sound as if some jet engine is headed right towards you and then slow-down and stop.

Around 5 kms later, we reached the waterfall site. The water has receded as compared to what we had seen in August on the way to Amboli. But due to that we could enter the water and enjoy its chill. It was fun and after sufficient time we decided to head back.

Around 1500 we decided to head back, and while enjoying chilled cold-drink we fed a puppy which took Srilatha’s (Hemanth’s wife) fancy. She decided to take it to Pune, but somehow lack of space in our luggage deterred her from that. So we fed it sumptuous lunch of bread, we took off. One small lassi-tea session in Satara at same hotel and we started flying towards Pune.

While coming back, we reached Highway on 1705hrs and I was home at 6:20pm… 110-112kms in 1 hr and 20 minutes flat… Scorching speeds we did while coming back… continuously over 100kmph…. Given complex to all the cars… except one Camry…she was fast…but obviously I won due to traffic … But on open road, she would had beaten me easily … While going, only a Skoda beat me/us… but that was open road and we just cannt do 150+ kmph… we got her in Khambatki ghat… but again afterwards she sped off…

While coming back…one Scorpio tried to give some competition while I was overtaking it… and started racing against me… we were at around 110kmph… slight slope came and I just opened complete throttle to sped off at 120kmph… and they kept on rubbing their palms… but later for Hemanth I have to wait and Scorpio got stuck in long queue of toll…

Riders:
Hemanth and Srilatha – Electra 350
doc (me) – Bullet 500

Vital Stats:
Total distance covered: 280kms
Started at 0815hrs and reached home 1820hrs.
Second Ignition coil failure for me
Thinking seriously to keep one spare for rides now on
If any help needed in Satara about bullet, call Panda mistry on +91 9822 740 610. His garage is near the Bangalore highway fly-over. True blue bullet fan himself, he do not believe in even touching other bikes.